Joshua Patel (wear-
ing a tie) is an openly
gay Indian-American
activist who proudly
notes that his par-
ents are supportive.
To help LGBTQ people
in India, he organized
a fund-raising event
at the Stonewall Inn in
New York City, where
a police raid in 1969
sparked protests that
helped fuel the gay-
rights movement.
BELOW
Thenmozhi Soundara-
rajan (standing), whose
family was born into
India’s Dalit population,
its lowest caste, shows
her artwork to Shahana
Hanif, a Bangladeshi
American. Both women
are activists who fight
against religious intol-
erance and caste-based
discrimination.
140 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
South Asian Americans MM8784 [P];73.indd 140
6/28/18 3:04 PM